2022 Bourgogne Aligoté, Les Grandes Terres, Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur
Critics reviews
Clean yellow. Quite powerful if very fresh, white fruit and greengage. Tension with a little almond paste to soften the finish. All in barrel, with two barrels of skin contact as an experiment, blended in.
Drink 2024 - 2026
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (October 2023)
The 2022 Bourgogne Aligoté was fined one week before my visit. It has a straightforward bouquet, clean and fresh with orange zest, citrus fruit and a touch of menthol. The palate is well-balanced, again, not the most complex that I have tasted, but I like the almost Rhône-like pithiness on the finish.
All our vines are on the slopes, and we did not observe any stress in the Chardonnay,” Bitouzet-Prieur informs. “Beaune Les Aussy was the only vineyard that showed some signs of stress because the soils are so free-draining. We picked from August 25 until August 31. It was a normal length of harvest, even though the volume was higher. You didn’t have to look out for bunches that were not ripe.
I find the 2022s fresher than the 2020s, with slightly lower alcohol. The 2020 vintage was precocious, and I think those wines will drink younger.” This is another domaine where the Volnay Clos des Chênes forms a high point, closely followed by the Caillerets. Amongst the whites, I particularly like the superb Meursault Santenots, which had the audacity to outshine the Les Perrières and Les Charmes.
Drink 2023 - 2027
Neal Martin, Vinous.com (January 2024)
About this WINE
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur
Domaine Bitouzet-Prieur – along with current winemaker François – was born of the marriage of Vincent Bitouzet (of Volnay) and Ann Prieur (of Meursault), bringing together two distinguished Burgundian families.
The domaine has a red cellar next door to Lafarge (who are distant cousins) and a white cellar in Meursault, with reds making up approximately 60 percent of production.
The estate’s notable vineyard holdings include a selection of the finest Premier Cru sites in Volnay and Meursault. The whites are elegant and restrained, rather than being broad-shouldered, old-fashioned Meursault. The reds are de-stemmed, with new oak kept to a modest level.
Bourgogne Aligoté
Bourgogne Aligoté is a regional Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for white wines produced in Burgundy from the Aligoté variety of grape, which dates from 1937.
Aligoté grapes have played a prominent role in white Burgundy production since the 1600s, but are now being phased out in favour of the more popular and profitable Chardonnay grape: in 2007 only 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of Aligoté were grown compared to the 12,800 hectares (32,000 acres) of Chardonnay. The AOC regulations permit up to 15% Chardonnay to be blended with the Aligoté.
Bourgogne Aligoté is usually regarded as a somewhat more acidic wine, best enjoyed in its youth due to its lighter nature. It is also a primary component in the production of the popular French cocktail kir, by combining the Aligoté wine with the blackcurrant liqueur crème de cassis.
Aligoté has one appellation exclusive to its grape: Bouzeron, in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy, where 53 hectares are dedicated to this unique Aligoté based wine.
Aligoté
A grape that was first recorded in Burgundy in the 18th century and is still planted almost exclusively there, though there are limited plantings in Bulgaria, Moldavia and even California. It is a moderate-yielding grape that tends to perform best on south-east facing slopes and in warm, dry years.
For your Burgundian vigneron, Aligoté is not nearly as profitable to grow as Chardonnay - consequently it tends to be relegated to lower quality vineyards. In the wrong hands and in the wrong sites it can produce thin, raspingly acidic wines that are remarkably undistinguished. However the best growers produce balanced examples with nutty and citrus hints which are most appealing to drink. The best Aligoté wines traditionally come from Bouzeron in the Côte Chalonnaise. Along with blackcurrant liqueur, it is the key ingredient of Kir.
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Description
Clean yellow. Quite powerful if very fresh, white fruit and greengage. Tension with a little almond paste to soften the finish. All in barrel, with two barrels of skin contact as an experiment, blended in.
Drink 2024 - 2026
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (October 2023)
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